Game Changers: The Conscious Culture Men With Vision 2020 Edition | Page 10

GAME CHANGERS TRIBUTE
KOBE BRYANT LEAVES
BEHIND LASTING LEGACY
Over the years, Kobe cultivated a strong, nearly cultish, following
through his self-marketing.
Curated by Lydia Pierre
KOBE
Bryant
1978 – 2020
K
obe Bean Bryant was an American
professional basketball player. A shooting
guard, Bryant entered the National
Basketball Association (NBA) directly
from high school, and played his entire
20-season professional career in the
league with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant won five NBA championships, was
an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of
the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of
the All-Defensive Team, was named the
2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP),
and was a two-time NBA Finals
MVP winner. Widely regarded as one of
the greatest players of all time, he led the
NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranks
fourth on the league's all-time regular
season scoring, and ranks fourth on
the all-time postseason scoring list.
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Born for the game of Basketball
Bryant was the son of former NBA
player Joe Bryant. Bryant was born
in Philadelphia, the youngest of three
children and only son of former NBA
player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox
Bryant. He was also the maternal
nephew of basketball player John
"Chubby" Cox. His parents named him
after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan,
which they saw on a restaurant menu.
His middle name, Bean, was derived
from his father's nickname "Jellybean".
Bryant's family was Catholic and he
had always practiced his faith. Bryant
started playing basketball when he was
aged three, and the Lakers were his
favorite team when he was growing
up. 
Bryant made his
Lakers debut less
than three months
after his 18th
birthday. He never
wore another jersey
ever again, retiring
in that same purple-
and-gold 20 seasons
later with 33,643
points to his name.
When Bryant was six, his father retired
from the NBA and moved his family
to Rieti in Italy to continue playing
professional basketball at a lower level. He
attended Lower Merion High
School in Pennsylvania, where he was
recognized as the top high-school
basketball player in the country. Upon
graduation, he declared for the 1996 NBA
draft and was selected by the Charlotte
Hornets with the 13th overall pick; the
Hornets then traded him to the Lakers.
He nicknamed himself
The Black Mamba, in
honor of an extremely
venomous and fast
African snake, and built
the Mamba Academy
in his name.